Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-16


The most remarkable instance Of hereditary
crime and pauperisin of which there is
well traced history Is that Of the "Juke" family
of New York state. This interesting record
was the work of Richard L. Dugisle,
member Of the Prison Reform association.
He learned more or less OF the life history
of .ue descendants of the Juke sisters, and
presents q deplorable and appalling array
Of facts and figures. He traced this
wretcbed family through six generations, and
carefully calculates the cost TO the com
munities infested by the fifth and sixth
generations at over 8, ,Soo, 900, not to take
into consideration the entailnent of crime,
misery and pauperism OF survivors in sue
cesding generations, and incurable disease.
ln.as.ity and idiocy, as . necessary sequence
Of all this d-bauchery Eighty Of the JukcS
were iaiotic or insane. The crimes of the
family covered everything in the almost end
hess variety known to the law Both Martha
and Ada Juke were women Of feeble minds,
but they left . record, infamous though 1t be,
o mothers Of criminals
The census shows upwards OF 5000 feeble
minded and idiotic persons in the United
States, women in due ratio predominating
The Juke sisters are the prototypes of like
creatures 20 be found in jails and poor houses
IN every state in the Union. The result is
s,<u. but the source is not considered Prisons
and ssylums multiply. and except with the
few the causes and prevention OF crime, IN
sani:y and idiocy receive little attention or
thought
There are two views taken BY the world in
considering the defective Glasses. One Is q
general disregard OF the misery attending un-
.,,A taf hat "a
doctrine Of the survival OF the fittest"
will ultimately wipe them out The popo-
sition, too, to destroy the helpless and
incompetent young is one that cannot he
tolerated by civilized beings That course is
left to savAges and the brute creation. The
second view 10 that Of paternsl government
for detectives DIR. kerln, in discussing the
question of the government dealing with the
wants and rights of the individual, says:
..In our present development, government,
where best for tine common veal, should as
sume the relation Of parent to its subject;
licensing here and refusing there; correcting
an evil at ons point or absolutely ahating
that evil at another; giving personal liberty
where self reiianc. proves its rightui cialm;
abridging personal liberty where Its exercise
is attended with crusade against the rights
of the peaceable, whether in the spoiiation OF
the bouse breaker or house burner, IN the
tyranny and brutality OF the inebriate's home,
or in the corruption of the very springs OF
life in the prostitution of the brothel"
DIR. Powell. of the Iowa Institution for
Feeble Minded, says: The strongest letters
of appeal for admission Of inmates to our in
stitution come from parnts who have ad-
yanced to that period in life when thoughts OF
the future welfare OF their children crowd
heavily upon them. The mother Of an imbe-
cile child is one OF the most pitiabie objects In
the world. for her burden of helplessness,
grief and care must increase with the pass
ing wears, and TO many an aged mother has
come the thought, Who will care for and
guard nv afflicted daughter in the futuref
The very idea of a feeble child being with
out suitable protection is painful no: only
10 Parents, but to all good citizens. 1t Is not
oniy Justice 70 the individual, but TO the
state. that persons thus afflicted should have
the strong arm of the commonwealth to shield
and protect them. 1t is not enough that the
state provide temporarily for this class OF uii-
fortunates; it must be a life school and home
for its inmates thereby preventing the trans
mission Of infirmities TO still more de-
GRADED progeny" An Iowa legislative com
mittee urges the permanency OF the feeble
minded institution on the grounds of public
safety. believing that to turn inmates out
with the posslbiliues Oh repfouuehis 'neii
kind was disregard OF Ia" po'n nuiiiun anu
divine.
New York and pennsylvania nave already
taken advance steps IN proVluihg sPeSiai anu
permanent Recommendations ior uhgusroeu
idiotic females Despite iaise Poilticai pm
losophy and hardness OF heart' Tue h"oie
movement IN penaii oi sne iei "'"eH' sup
port Of the weakninded and other uepehuei!I
classes will eventually suceeed ana all such
deiinquents Will become the WARDS o. tne gov
erhn'eh. =, -, ;nsa,i,v nau,..r.
'ne - Iii n. n,dsrx,,od Their. will
sih am = ni.s..,,a,,.s.. .,a NOR. uorLsho,,s
- nd ,,,n.,sl,o,,s will cor
'aii', - -, .,,5 t.,. .,d ,hara ovar
sp'noa's, =. ,h. .v;Il,g,.s of tho
1ne ,o.. - The ..,red tw,s,ed and
ssnip'e, .a,,,1;,, o,,,,r;bnt;ng 10 thair
ilco'i 49, ., ,,lrort os tboss more lovlv-
own anu Va. - ,r,,,,,~l,.,.,s il, ~h;c,
ci'iS v' ...-,,,,II,, h.-.n,a no ,,,aar
III - -. ,.x.j b.v,p3 tbsir mental
uisu ;,,, qLav shall oo ont no
1i'u mn IN ,,.;,har ,,,.rrv nor ~.
ni''e -:,;,, A''. =, &C. h.ys,s 5s,ic.,ad
eNe'' r =,
:" -, =, -, ;,,vos,ioa,io, n, This ouss-
"As 'ei -. ,a,,,,.oI s,,a isol,,;on Of The
'ion n. u f,ia,ar,,s, class in narticular by a
- -, S,.,s Jps,i,ption for Feeble